VA BEDFORD RESEARCH LAB

Bedford, MA

3D rendering of 2 story laboratory building surrounded by vegetation and landscape

The project is a new home for the VA’s continuing research to address specific medical conditions our Veterans often suffer from including CTE.

Security was of paramount importance. In addition to minimized public access, off-site parking, and blast-resistant concrete sandwich panels; a series of landforms, drainage swales, and rock gardens act as passive anti-vehicular barriers.

The landforms and swales also support ecological restoration and establish a nature-based outdoor environment for the staff to take relaxing breaks in, all while reducing maintenance costs. Seeded with local wildflowers and meadow grasses, these mini-ecosystems encourage habitat growth.

colored site plan of laboratory building and earth and water pool bearms surrounding it
3D rendering showing several 2-3 story laboratory buildings in a row, with landscaped earth bearms in front
3D rendering of 2 story laboratory building with big VA letters on the front facade and an American flag in the entry courtyard

The new 2 story lab is phase 1 of 4 with the intent to provide new state of the art research facilities and consolidate VA research into one area of the Bedford campus.

Approved by the State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO), the modern architectural design complements the historic VA Campus by maintaining an intimate human scale in an analogous color palette.

3D rendering of lab interior with large blue painted accent wall running along on the right side

Although an efficient and compact footprint, the facility includes Wet and Dry Labs; shared tissue culture and processing rooms; equipment rooms for fume hoods and ultra low freezers; conference rooms, staff breakrooms, and office space; a secure loading dock; and a full ARF complete with autoclaves, cagewash, procedure, isolation.

The lab layout – with a centralized ARF – is expandable and adaptable.

colored 1st & 2nd floor plans of laboratory building
3D rendering showing several 2-3 story laboratory buildings in row, protected by landscaped earth bearms in front

Type: Institutional – New Construction
Client: Department of Veterans Affairs
Size: 15,000 sf
Location: Bedford, MA
Status: Design completed 2023
Credits: Architect: William Pevear Architects. Structural Engineering: RSE with SGH for Blast Analysis. MEP & FP: Alares. Civil: CDW. Cost Estimating: Ellana.

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